The 200 pound female black bear had entered the yard with her two yearling cubs. The bear continued to chase the dog as it ran toward the house, he said. When Flannery tried to protect her dog and get it inside, she received puncture wounds and scratches from the bear.

The bear and cubs then fled the yard and climbed a tree in another yard.

Flannery was treated for her wounds at a hospital and released.

The officers from the DEEP's Environmental Conservation Police, wildlife biologists from the agency and West Hartford police found the bear and cubs, Gardner said.

The animals were all taken to the DEEP's Session Woods Wildlife Management Area where the mother bear was euthanized and as a precaution tested for rabies.

The yearlings were deemed to be old enough to survive on their own and released into another area, Gardner said.

Adam Roberts, of the conservation group Born Free USA, said that the key to avoiding negative encounters with wild animals is to remain alert. "Many people are shocked when they actually encounter a bear, coyote, or other animal, and get angry or frightened when this happens.

"Learning how best to avoid a conflict from the start and to manage any encounter properly can put you at ease and possibly save lives,'' Roberts said. "Keep food out of reach of wildlife and never feed wild animals intentionally or unintentionally."

Black bears are rarely aggressive toward humans, and attacks are very rare, said DEEP wildlife biologists.